The designing and explaining the model for the government's economic role in the process of Iran sports privatization.

The aim of this study was to provide a model to measure the economic role of government in the privatization of the Iran sport. This study used a mixed method with exploratory mixed type. The first stage was qualitative. 20 deep semi-structured interviews were conducted, the data were collected and then coded and analyzed. The codes were categorized and 5 components were identified. The second phase was quantitative which was conducted by structural equation modeling. The sample consisted of 222 subjects who were selected purposively. A researcher-made questionnaire (20 items) was used to collect data. Content validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by 15 experts and the reliability was 0.920. To calculate construct validity and to check structure, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were applied by SPSS and AMOS. To calculate the reliability of the scales and subscales, Cronbach's alpha method was used. The results showed that the effect of 5 economic factors on the sport privatization was significant. “Socio-economic development” component (regression coefficient=0.254) had the highest effect and economic stability (0.216), welfare system (0.129), economic power (0.121), and the market structure and its competitiveness (0.104) were in the next places. Sport privatization requires solving economic problems, creating a competitive environment and omitting government ownership.